As my History of Science Professor would say, "Quantum mechanics is bat shit insane!"  How can light be both a wave and a particle at the same time? How can a particle be in two places at once? How can a particle tunnel? 
"If anyone claims to know what the quantum theory is all about, they haven't understood it." - Richard Feynman, PhD. (He worked on the Manhattan Project)
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read more blogs!
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xquseme
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Jul 25 @ 1:49AM
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Ah, now you're talking Nerdspeak! One of my favorite dialects!
To me, when a photon is said to possess qualities of both particle and wave, it's
telling us that we've reached the essence of matter. In other words, matter isn't
confined to compressed packages of "stuff," but rather it is unconfined, and able to
change shape and size (at least in MY philosophy).
If you've ever done any reading on the string theory, it is hypothesized that there aren't
only three or four dimensions, but closer to 22 to 26!! The problem is that there is no
way to prove the theory, as the supposed "strings" are FAR to tiny to be detected by
any method. Thus, the string theory becomes a matter of philosophy, rather than
science, as it cannot be proved or disproved.
As an agnostic, choosing not to speculate on the nature of God, I find this utterly fascinating.
Do you suppose that maybe, just MAYBE, the Creator didn't WANT us to be able
to prove or disprove His existence?
While many physicists are indeed athiests, many others are devout Christians. It
seems that the very fact that the universe exists is enough to legitimatize their beliefs!
Sorry....it's late, I've had a couple, and I'm rambling....Nice start to an interesting
discussion!
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1bunny629
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Jul 25 @ 8:00AM
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If we were able to prove everything so that we new everything life would be over. It is the journey, the process, the hope to learn, the possibilities of what we may conclude that keeps life moving... 
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lunanegra
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Jul 25 @ 11:01AM
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 Something not 100% related to kids,politics,cats or sex? Pardon me while I die from shock.
/sarcasm
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Sunshine79
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Jul 25 @ 12:10PM
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I'm clueless
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theSkwirl
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Jul 25 @ 1:33PM
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I just wanted to stop by and say.. hey mcroxton.. you are gettin to be a lil hotty.
How can a particle be in two places at the same time? Quantum Mechanics is the answer ;) Time space isn't a linear thing, so a particle could indeed exist in more than one space at the same time. It can also be present in multiple times and the same space.
Light as a wave is a group of particles.
Yay for Kwantum Fizziks!!!
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wtxman
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Jul 25 @ 1:42PM
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Quantum Probability & the Measurement Problem
Quantum physics is defined mathematically by the Schroedinger equation, which depicts the probability of a particle being found at a certain point. This probability is fundamental to the system, not merely a result of ignorance. Once a measurement is made, however, you have a definite result.
The measurement problem is that the theory doesn't completely explain how the act of measurement actually causes this change. Attempts to solve the problem have lead to some intriguing theories.
Quantum Entanglement & Nonlocality
In quantum theory, certain physical systems can become "entangled," meaning that their states are directly related to the state of another object somewhere else. When one object is measured, and the Schroedinger wavefunction collapses into a single state, the other object collapses into its corresponding state ... no matter how far away the objects are (i.e. nonlocality).
Einstein, who called these influences "spooky action at a distance," illuminated this concept with his EPR Paradox.
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
The physicist Werner Heisenberg developed the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which says that when measuring the physical state of a quantum system there's a fundamental limit to the amount of precision that can be achieved.
For example, the more precisely you measure the momentum of a particle the less precise your measurement of its position. Again, in Heisenberg's interpretation this wasn't just a measurement error or technological limitation, but an actual physical limit.
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mcroxton
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Jul 25 @ 4:42PM
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I tried to understand conceptually what my professor was saying - but even though he had a degree in biophysics, he said he didn't intuitively understand it himself. It's so crazy!
I can't even wrap my mind around that stuff. I can somewhat understand special and general relativity and non-euclidian geometry, but the essence of quantum physics is so hard to grasp. 
Sorry guys - but some of your posts are just way over my head! I'm a psych major, not much of a math or physics guy!
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theSkwirl
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Jul 25 @ 5:31PM
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I remember the first day in class my prof saying, "Suspend Disbelief" I was thinking what???? but it made sense..
Imagine everything, life, light, matter, energy, time, space all as an unending loop, actually a very tight spiral. Everything that was, is, and everything that will be, is. It's all right there co-existing with everything else. Some of it is on another level of the spiral, but it can and does share time/space with everything else. The tunneling idea is cool.. I'm not sure, yet, how that works.. when it does I'll show up in ya shower one day.
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mcroxton
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Jul 25 @ 6:40PM
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The conversion of 10g of mass into energy is equivalent to burning 30,000 tons of coal!
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Pornosaurus
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Jul 25 @ 8:26PM
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I'm with Einstein, as a proponent of cosmological physics. Quick, let me get out my copy of The Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory, and some drugs. I'm missing the latter. And let me know when you can explain in plain English what the sqaure root of negative 1 means really. As per your second question, are you talking about qauntum leaps, or what? Good luck with your third question!
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mcroxton
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Jul 25 @ 8:57PM
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And let me know when you can explain in plain English what the sqaure root of negative 1 means really.
...imaginary numbers, eh? I was taught they exist and know they're used in electronics and stuff, but I don't intuitively understand that stuff either.
The human mind just wasn't designed to be able to understand the more abstract concepts concerning quantum mechanics!
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wtxman
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Jul 26 @ 1:51PM
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I diagree,it was the human mind that conceptualized these concepts,and they are fairly easy to comprehend.
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xquseme
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Jul 26 @ 2:38PM
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Actually, it's the conclusions reached on the basis of mathematical analysis and
formulation that provide the model for quantum physics as we know it. It's what's
left when all other possibilities are eliminated....
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mcroxton
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Jul 27 @ 5:49AM
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I diagree,it was the human mind that conceptualized these concepts,and they are fairly easy to comprehend.
That is true... but do you understand it intuitively? And if you do - what about something like spacetime? I don't know about you - but I don't think I know anyone who can conceptualize four dimensional curved spacetime!
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ThePurpleProphet
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Jul 28 @ 4:28PM
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Try not to over analyze. We are humans and at the same time we a carbon based life form.
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seethingabyss
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Aug 18 @ 1:07AM
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Donnie Darko got it!
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mcroxton
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Aug 18 @ 1:34AM
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seethingabyss wrote:
Donnie Darko got it!
Yes, I believe you're correct. Now if I could just borrow that movie script... 
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